A ceremony was held to celebrate the success of Iran's Asian Games boxing champion Masis Hambarsonian ©NOCIRI

A bust of 1974 Asian Games boxing champion Masis Hambarsonian has been unveiled in Tehran.

Hambarsonian claimed light-heavyweight gold in the very same city when Iran's capital staged the 1974 Asian Games.

Now 71, Hambarsonian also secured a silver medal at the Jakarta 1973 Asian Championships and bronze medals at Bangkok 1977 and Mumbai 1980.

Dr Hamid Sajadi, Iran’s Sports Minister, and Syed Reza Salehi Amiri, the President of the National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Iran (NOCIRI), led a ceremony in which Sajadi conducted a short welcome speech.

Various boxing veterans were in attendance to pay tribute to Hambarsonian.

The NOCIRI leader believes bust ceremonies send a message to Iranian athletes that their work will not be forgotten ©Getty Images
The NOCIRI leader believes bust ceremonies send a message to Iranian athletes that their work will not be forgotten ©Getty Images

The Sports Minister used the occasion to praise all veteran athletes for their dedication to bringing success to the country and for their service.

Amiri labelled the celebration a historic day for Iranian boxing and called former athletes a national asset.

He also remarked that commending athletes of the past will show the current crop that their individual work will not be forgotten.

The NOCIRI regularly commissions busts of successful athletes.